dahunan
Lifer
HUH??? This is some crazy BS... Where does this fool get the cash .. and WTF is he doing carrying it?
Palestinian PM found with $35m in cash
By Sharmila Devi in Jerusalem and agencies
Published: December 15 2006 02:19 | Last updated: December 15 2006 02:19
Israel on Thursday prevented Ismail Haniyeh, the Palestinian prime minister, from returning to Gaza in order to stop him bringing in cash possibly donated by Iran.
Reports said Mr Haniyeh, from the Hamas movement, was carrying $35m (?26.5m, £17.8m) in cash, believed to be part of the $350m he raised during a regional tour that took in Iran, Syria and Qatar. He was later allowed entry, but without the cash.
However, anger spilt over into violence following the order to close the Rafah terminal on the Gaza-Egypt border, given by Amir Peretz, Israeli defence minister.
The closure prompted about 2,000 Hamas supporters to storm the terminal where they had a gun battle with guards. Others used explosives to blow a gap in the concrete wall dividing Gaza and Egypt.
Mushir al-Masri, a Hamas legislator, said the closure ?could lead the region to an explosion and the Zionist enemy and its allies will bear the responsibility for the consequences?.
The European Union monitoring team at Rafah said its 16 staff were evacuated and safe.
Hamas members have carried about $80m in cash into Gaza since March, when the west imposed an aid boycott aimed at bringing down the Islamic movement but which has increased poverty across the occupied territories.
The clashes at Rafah came as Hamas supporters threatened to defy any call for new elections that Fatah?s Mahmoud Abbas, Palestinian Authority president, may make in a speech tomorrow.
Months of negotiations between Fatah and Hamas for a national unity government have foundered, along with hopes for an easing of the western boycott. But Hamas and independent analysts say Mr Abbas has no legal authority to call early elections.
Mr Haniyeh cut short his trip abroad to deal with the internal turmoil. Hamas to-day plans to celebrate the 19th anniversary of its foundation with marches and demonstrations in Gaza.
There were clashes in Gaza and the West Bank this week after Fatah blamed Hamas for the shooting dead on Monday of three young boys who were the sons of an intelligence official loyal to Mr Abbas.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/1187f320-8be0-11db-a61f-0000779e2340.html
Palestinian PM found with $35m in cash
By Sharmila Devi in Jerusalem and agencies
Published: December 15 2006 02:19 | Last updated: December 15 2006 02:19
Israel on Thursday prevented Ismail Haniyeh, the Palestinian prime minister, from returning to Gaza in order to stop him bringing in cash possibly donated by Iran.
Reports said Mr Haniyeh, from the Hamas movement, was carrying $35m (?26.5m, £17.8m) in cash, believed to be part of the $350m he raised during a regional tour that took in Iran, Syria and Qatar. He was later allowed entry, but without the cash.
However, anger spilt over into violence following the order to close the Rafah terminal on the Gaza-Egypt border, given by Amir Peretz, Israeli defence minister.
The closure prompted about 2,000 Hamas supporters to storm the terminal where they had a gun battle with guards. Others used explosives to blow a gap in the concrete wall dividing Gaza and Egypt.
Mushir al-Masri, a Hamas legislator, said the closure ?could lead the region to an explosion and the Zionist enemy and its allies will bear the responsibility for the consequences?.
The European Union monitoring team at Rafah said its 16 staff were evacuated and safe.
Hamas members have carried about $80m in cash into Gaza since March, when the west imposed an aid boycott aimed at bringing down the Islamic movement but which has increased poverty across the occupied territories.
The clashes at Rafah came as Hamas supporters threatened to defy any call for new elections that Fatah?s Mahmoud Abbas, Palestinian Authority president, may make in a speech tomorrow.
Months of negotiations between Fatah and Hamas for a national unity government have foundered, along with hopes for an easing of the western boycott. But Hamas and independent analysts say Mr Abbas has no legal authority to call early elections.
Mr Haniyeh cut short his trip abroad to deal with the internal turmoil. Hamas to-day plans to celebrate the 19th anniversary of its foundation with marches and demonstrations in Gaza.
There were clashes in Gaza and the West Bank this week after Fatah blamed Hamas for the shooting dead on Monday of three young boys who were the sons of an intelligence official loyal to Mr Abbas.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/1187f320-8be0-11db-a61f-0000779e2340.html